The Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Finland, Republic of Iceland,Kingdom of Norway, Kingdom of Sweden, and the United States ofAmerica reaffirm our deep partnership based on shared fundamental valuesincluding our commitment to democracy, human rights, respect for the ruleof law, and economic freedom. We continue to deepen our collaboration onimportant shared global priorities, including climate change and cleanenergy, the Arctic, a strong, open multilateral trading system, emergingsecurity challenges, global development and humanitarian assistance, andEurope’s regional economic and security environment. This evening, wehave come together at a defining moment in the transatlantic relationship todiscuss our long-term goals in each of these areas and agree to take concretesteps to achieve those goals.

United on Global Issues

The United States and the Nordic countries share the goal of a stable andpeaceful Middle East. We agree that all relevant parties must work urgentlyfor a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. We aredetermined to work together to promote respect for human rights,democracy and the rule of law in Egypt. With regard to the situation inSyria, we strongly condemn any and all use of chemical weapons, and weare convinced a strong international reaction is required. Those responsiblefor the use of chemical weapons must be held accountable.We recognize the importance of cooperation between our countries inbuilding comprehensive security and addressing security issues in the 21stcentury, including terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of massdestruction, illicit international arms trade, and threats to cyber security. Wealso recognize that we must address these challenges in a manner thatrespects our most cherished values and protects universal human rights andfundamental freedoms, which are at the foundation of all flourishing

2democracies. We note the need to continue to strengthen our countries’important contributions to regional, transatlantic, and international forums,including in the EU, NATO and NATO Partnership context. We recommitto continuing and expanding our security, recognizing that this cooperation– with and among the Nordic countries, with other regional partners,including especially the Baltic states, and in transatlantic and internationalfora – will be crucial to our success.To complement our already robust bilateral and regional securitycooperation, we agree to launch a U.S.-Nordic Security Dialogue, whichwill meet annually to discuss opportunities for collaboration on global andregional security issues, focusing primarily on issues arising in the UnitedNations, including an integrated approach to preventive diplomacy,peacebuilding, peacekeeping, and atrocity prevention. Another stream ofwork will include joint capacity building efforts to promote stabilization infragile and conflict affected states – linking up security and developmentefforts, and civilian and military partners.Recognizing that we still have work to do closer to home, we agree on ourmutual commitment to deepening regional cooperation and continuing topursue our common vision of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.We underscore the importance of actions that can support a global economicrecovery, including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) currently being negotiated between the European Union and the UnitedStates. T-TIP aims to boost economic growth in the United States and theEU and add to the more than 13 million American and EU jobs alreadysupported by transatlantic trade and investment. We also look forward toexploring ways we can bolster trade and investment between the UnitedStates and Norway and Iceland. We also emphasize our commitment toachieving significant and substantive outcomes at the 9th World TradeOrganization Ministerial.We agree that the fight against tax avoidance and evasion should be a toppriority in all relevant international fora. We support the work of theOrganization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s on base erosionand profit shifting (BEPS) and automatic exchange of information as thenew global standard. The engagement of the G20 in these issues isimportant. The misuse of shell companies can be a severe impediment tosustainable economic growth and sound governance. We will make aconcerted and collective effort to tackle this issue and improve thetransparency of companies and legal arrangements.

Partnering on Climate Change and the Arctic

3comprehensive, fair, and inclusive climate agreement under the UnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2015 that isconsistent with science, mindful of the two degree target, and applicable toall.As part of our commitment to accelerating the transition to low-carbonenergy systems worldwide, the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland,Norway, and Sweden will join the United States in ending public financingfor new coal-fired power plants overseas, except in rare circumstances. Wewill work together to secure the support of other countries and multilateraldevelopment banks to adopt similar policies. The Nordic countries and theUnited States agreed to continue their work, in all appropriate channels, toreduce the use of domestic fossil fuel subsidies globally. The United Statesalso agrees to join with the Nordic members of the Friends of Fossil FuelSubsidy Reform to undertake peer reviews of domestic fossil fuel subsidies.Recognizing the rapid growth of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition overits first 18 months, we note the potential of the Coalition to catalyzesignificant global reductions of short-lived climate pollutants, which havemajor impacts on climate change and public health. The U.S. and Nordicmembers of the Coalition agree to intensify our efforts and invite others tojoin to take full advantage of the Coalition’s potential.The United States and Nordic members of the Clean Energy Ministerialcontinue to support various ministerial initiatives, including the 21stCentury Power Partnership, which brings together government and privatesector actors to help identify and promote successful technical, policy, andfinancial pathways to cleaner and more efficient power systems in bothdeveloped and developing countries. Additionally, the United States andNordic countries expressed our support for the “Sustainable Energy for All”initiative of the UN Secretary-General.We recommit to protecting the Arctic environment, working to improveliving conditions and encouraging sustainable development in the Arcticregion, particularly with respect to indigenous peoples, and ensuring that theArctic remains a peaceful region of cooperation. We will pursueopportunities in future Arctic Council meetings and other international forato promote prosperity, foster scientific cooperation, and reduce emissions ofblack carbon in the Arctic region, as agreed upon in the Kiruna Declaration.

Advancing Global Development

As leaders in providing development assistance, we agree on the strategic,economic, and moral imperative of global development and humanitarianaid. We are committed to aggressive efforts to accelerate achievement ofthe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs continue to be asymbol of our common humanity and a statement of the world’scommitment to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, combating disease,achieving gender equality, free quality education for all, and environmentalsustainability, thus extending hope and opportunity to billions across theworld. We note the opportunities for using trade to boost economic growth

4and reduce poverty in developing countries, as well as the importance ofpromoting human rights and gender equality. In addition, we agree thatvaccination through GAVI represents one of the most cost-effectiveapproaches to save children’s lives and that with enhanced efforts, polio canbe eradicated within this decade. Together, we envision a unified post-2015agenda that addresses poverty, inclusive growth, and sustainability in clear,ambitious, and measurable goals.The United States and Nordic countries are critical donors in fight againstHIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria worldwide. We commend the reformsand results achieved by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria andwill work together to ensure a successful replenishment. In a demonstrationof strong leadership, a number of Nordic countries are together pledging$750 million, over $150 million in increased funds for the Global Fundreplenishment, subject to parliamentary approval. This funding willleverage $375 million from the U.S. challenge pledge of $1 for every $2donated. These historic multilateral investments will work to turn the tideagainst these three devastating diseases.Access to electricity continues to be one of the most significant hurdles toeconomic growth and development. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, more thantwo-thirds of the population is without access to power. To support adoubling of electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa the United States andNordic countries have expressed our support for the Power Africa initiativeand agree to work together to provide technical assistance, financing andother support to enable additional investment in energy projects throughoutthe region.In support of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), weagree to promote transparency and accountability of expenditures andrevenues related to the extraction of natural resources, including throughsupport to the multi-donor trust fund for EITI or the EITI Secretariat. EUmember states Denmark, Finland, and Sweden intend to quickly transposethe EU Accounting and Transparency Directive, which requires mandatorydisclosures of payments made to governments for extractive and loggingprojects.

Protecting Human Rights and Strengthening Governance

We will work together to eradicate poverty, promote good governance andhuman rights, combat all forms of trafficking in persons, and to strengthengender equality and the rights of women and girls, including sexual andreproductive health and rights.We agree to make real our respective obligations and commitments topromote and protect women’s human rights and fundamental freedoms asoutlined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action,the United Nations resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, and otherinternational instruments and agreements on women’s rights. We note inparticular the importance of empowering women as equal partners in

5preventing conflict and building peace and ensuring their protection fromviolence, and of our continued bilateral and multilateral engagement to thisend in such countries as Afghanistan,Pakistan, and the Middle East.InAfghanistan, for example, we endorse such flagship initiatives asPROMOTE, UNWomen’s Elimination of Violence against Women SpecialFund, the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund's EQUIP, and the NationalSolidarity Program's Community Development Councils, which togetherempower a critical mass of Afghan women to fully participate in Afghansociety.We strengthen our commitments to advance equality and dignity for LGBTpersons through the Global Equality Fund. This commitment reflects anincreasingly growing global sentiment that all persons should be treatedequally and with dignity regardless of who they are or who they love.The United States and Nordic members of the Open GovernmentPartnership, a multilateral initiative that asks governments to promotetransparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and strengthengovernance, agree to redouble our efforts to develop ambitious “Race to theTop” commitments for the October 31 Open Government PartnershipMinisterial.Working together, we have a historic opportunity to make progress onissues of global significance, and we remain steadfast in our dedication tothe pursuit of these goals.

Prime Minister’s Office

Sweden

Joint Statement by Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Finland, Republic of

Iceland, Kingdom of Norway, Kingdom of Sweden, and the United States of

America

United on Global Issues

Partnering on Climate Change and the Arctic

Advancing Global Development

Protecting Human Rights and Strengthening Governance